Specim fields the wider spectrum

Specim’s high-precision hyperspectral camera resembles a normal system camera but reveals a wider spectrum of visible and near infrared wavelengths compared to the human eye.

Screenshot / Specim

Specim, a VTT spinoff company, has developed the world’s first mobile hyperspectral camera that enables fast on-site analysis of everything from blood on a crime scene to plant disease detection and revealing counterfeit art.

A hyperspectral camera reveals the chemical composition of a sample by measuring the intensity of light in different wavelengths when reflecting off a surface.

This enables the identification of substances and materials in a sample and can be useful in a range of industries, such as food and health, forensic investigation, security, recycling, art or agriculture.

Specim‘s lightweight, compact hyperspectral camera makes the process considerably easier and more effective as the results are produced immediately instead of several days later after being analysed in a laboratory.

“A truly portable hyperspectral camera enables measurements previously done in a laboratory to be performed in the field, at sites where imaging was not previously possible,” saysHarri Salo, programme manager at Specim. “For users, this will markedly accelerate decision-making and reduce costs.”

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland also contributed to the development project by providing fast measurement data processing algorithms and methods.